Soup kitchen's dream becomes reality

After renting space at the former St. Andrew's
Episcopal Church (later Holy Trinity Episcopal Church) at 28
Prospect St. since 1982, the organization has finalized its
purchase of the now-closed church.

Loaves & Fishes purchased the building for $270,000
with a mortgage from New England Bank.

Director Priscilla Brayson said closing on the property was
a dream come true.

"We now have more space for future planning,"
Brayson said. "Once we are able to get some money,
we're hoping to do some big renovations. My dream is to
bring everything upstairs and use the church as the dining
room one day, and use the downstairs as storage."

Prior to the purchase, Loaves & Fishes only used the
space in the church basement to serve its daily meal, but
now has the option of expanding into the church itself. The
building, dating to 1845, needs work though, including
updated electrical, a new kitchen, floors and windows.

Brayson said she first learned that the building was for
sale three years ago, when the Episcopal diocese announced
plans to merge churches, effectively closing St. Andrews.
The diocese approached her and Loaves & Fishes president
Murray Brayson to ask if they were interested in buying the
property.

"We thought, 'It will never happen,'"
she said. "I figured we were going to be homeless. I
didn't know where we were going to go."

About that time, longtime patron, volunteer and cook Nick
Savarino offered to buy the soup kitchen a new stove after
he was willed money following his father's death.

"I thought it was not a very good idea. We might not even be here," Brayson said. But then Brayson asked if Savarino was willing to donate the money he would have offered for the stove....